Matt Eberflus is eight games away from getting fired. Or at least that is how it looks. There is no way at present the Chicago Bears can justify keeping a head coach with a 5-21 record. Maybe he can save himself at the last moment, reeling off three or four wins to build some momentum. However, as things stand, Eberflus won't survive into 2024. GM Ryan Poles will have a decision to make on who to replace him with. That is presuming he doesn't go out the door with him. There is no shortage of potential candidates.
Smart money says the Bears will seek offensive-minded options. Somebody who can develop a quarterback they may end up drafting next April. However, after two severe misses on first-time guys, many are calling for the Bears to seek out somebody with a proven track record. That brings us back to Jim Harbaugh. Despite his growing success at Michigan, recent controversies involving sign-stealing suggest he might be facing a suspension. That could open the door for him to return to the NFL. Insider Albert Breer said on ESPN 1000 that two teams feel like his top landing spots.
One of them is a preference.
"If I'm the Bears or the Raiders right now, I'm looking for that. I'm saying, 'I want that.' Then, if you're the Bears, if you want to take it to another level, look at what he did for Alex Smith in San Francisco. Alex Smith was no one before he got there. He resurrected Alex Smith's career. So if I'm the Bears, I can look at that and say, 'This is what Justin Fields needs.'
So, I think they're going to have to work out some things with the Kevin Warren-Jim Harbaugh conflict from a few years ago. But to me, he makes all the sense in the world to bring him home and he would view the Chicago Bears as a dream job, too."
The Chicago Bears have to consider it, at least.
Harbaugh comes with his fair share of red flags. He's known for having problems with authority and can be a bit grating as a personality. However, one thing remains impossible to argue. He wins. Between college and the NFL, he has coached 168 games. Harbaugh is 124 and 44 with a .738 winning percentage. If that weren't enough, he also has a reputation for developing quarterbacks. What Breer said was true. He saved Alex Smith's career and got the best seasons out of Colin Kaepernick in San Francisco. Now he has J.J. McCarthy in the Heisman hunt.
All of this comes down to the people in charge. Kevin Warren apparently has a contentious history with Harbaugh. The McCaskey family has also avoided coaches with big personalities ever since Mike Ditka left. Can they get on board with this? There is also the rumored belief Harbaugh will want some semblance of say over the roster, something he didn't have in San Francisco and was a big issue. It feels unlikely Poles would outright surrender the final say. So there is that to deal with as well.
Harbaugh remains a fascinating idea, and it's apparent he still views Chicago as a dream destination.
